Christy Moore started in the music business in the mid-sixties, when his life as a bank clerk was interrupted by a bank strike, and he moved to England. There he became involved in the folk music scene at the time, and spent a few years playing pubs and clubs around the country.
His return to Ireland was marked by the album 'Prosperous', which proved to be a milestone in the rapprochement of Irish music to the popular mainstream. This album benefited from a collaboration of the leading talents of contemporary folk music, musicians such as Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny and Liam O'Flynn, and this one-off was to lead to the formation of Planxty, a band who were soon to be at the leading edge of the revival of Irish traditional music.
Over the following years the musical status of Planxty became legendary both in Ireland, Britain and throughout Europe. However in 1974 the band split up to pursue solo projects. It was during this period that Christy continued to explore new ground as a solo artist recording a number of solo albums including 'The Iron Behind the Velvet' (TARACD2002) which featured Andy Irvine and 'Live in Dublin' (TARACD2005) with Donal Lunny.
The original Planxty lineup of Christy, Andy, Liam and Donal then reformed in 1979. They recorded two further albums with Tara Records 'After the Break' (TARACD3001) and 'The Woman I Loved So Well' (TARACD3005). There were several additions and changes to their lineup most notably the addition of Matt Molloy, flautist from The Bothy Band, who later joined The Chieftains, and Bill Whelan.
In 1981 Planxty performed a Bill Whelan arrangement called 'Timedance' as the intermission piece for the Eurovision song contest, held that year in Ireland. Later it was released as a single and is now included on Bill's CD of 'The Seville Suite' (TARACD3030) released by Tara in 1992.
In the eighties Christy again teamed up with Donal Lunny to form Moving Hearts, another ambitious and innovative Irish band which sought to mix jazz into the folk-rock fusion. Ever the wanderer, Christy was soon breaking out on his own again, and it was in the eighties that he began to establish himself as one of Ireland's leading solo artists with a string of acclaimed albums and high profile tours.
In the mid-nineties Christy decided to take a break from the music for a few years. In the year 2000 Christy return to live performances with a series of Dublin concerts. Over the last few years he has released a number of solo projects including a television series, a live album and a 6 CD boxset.
El Salvador
Christy Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A girl cries in the early morning
Em Am
Woken by the sound of a gun
Am G
She knows somewhere somebody's dying
Em F
Beneath the rising sun
C G
Outside the window of her cabaña
Am Em
The shadows are full of her fears
C G
She knows her lover is out there somewhere
Am Em
He's been on the run for a year
CHORUS
F G Am
Oh, the soul of El Salvador
Bells ring out in the chapel steeple
A priest prepares to say mass
The sad congregation come tired and hungry
To pray that trouble will pass
Meanwhile the sun rises over the dusty streets
Where his body is found
Flies and mosquitoes are drinking from pools of blood
Where the crowd gathers round.
CHORUS
Out on the ranch the rich man's preparing
To go for his morning ride
They've saddled his horse out in the corral
He walks out full of pride
He looks like a cowboy from one of those pictures
A president made in the past
Peasants in rags, they stand back for they know
That El Rico travels fast
CHORUS
Over the soul of El Salvador.
The song "El Salvador" by Christy Moore is a political ballad that highlights the struggles and challenges faced by the people of El Salvador. The first verse focuses on the traumatic experiences of a girl who is awakened by the sound of gunfire, indicating the constant violence and unrest in the country. She knows someone is dying beneath the rising sun, which is a reminder of the countless innocent lives lost due to the civil war in El Salvador.
The second verse talks about the religious faith of the locals as they gather in the chapel to pray for peace and an end to the troubles. The sun rises over the dusty streets where the body of the victim is found, and the crowd gathers around. The third verse then talks about the stark contrast in the lives of the rich and the poor—the rich man prepares to go for his morning ride while the peasants in rags look on, with the knowledge that the rich and powerful have an unfair advantage in society.
The chorus, "Oh, the soul of El Salvador," is a poignant reminder of the harsh realities faced by the people of El Salvador as they struggle to survive amidst violence, poverty, and inequality. It is a tribute to the resilience and strength of the people who have been through so much and still keep fighting to make their lives better.
Line by Line Meaning
A girl cries in the early morning
A young lady weeps as she wakes up at dawn
Woken by the sound of a gun
She was awoken by the sound of a firearm
She knows somewhere somebody's dying
She is aware that someone, somewhere is losing their life
Beneath the rising sun
Just as the sun is rising
Outside the window of her cabaña
Located beyond the window of her small cabin
The shadows are full of her fears
The darkness holds all her worries
She knows her lover is out there somewhere
She is cognizant that her beloved is out there somewhere
He's been on the run for a year
He has been evading authorities for a year
Oh, the soul of El Salvador
The essence of El Salvador
Bells ring out in the chapel steeple
The bell tower of the church is resounding
A priest prepares to say mass
The clergyman is getting ready to perform a religious service
The sad congregation come tired and hungry
The mournful assembly arrives, drained and famished
To pray that trouble will pass
To pray that the disturbances will eventually subside
Meanwhile the sun rises over the dusty streets
At the same time, the sun is rising above the gritty streets
Where his body is found
Where his deceased remains are discovered
Flies and mosquitoes are drinking from pools of blood
Insects are feeding on the blood that was spilled
Where the crowd gathers round.
Where people have congregated and surrounded the area
Out on the ranch the rich man's preparing
Over at the estate, the affluent man is getting ready
To go for his morning ride
To take a ride, starting his day off afresh
They've saddled his horse out in the corral
His horse has already been prepared in the pen
He walks out full of pride
He walks out, exuding confidence and vanity
He looks like a cowboy from one of those pictures
His appearance is akin to that of a cowboy depicted in photographs
A president made in the past
A ruler who existed in bygone times
Peasants in rags, they stand back for they know
The destitute laborers, dressed in tattered clothing, step aside, for they are aware
That El Rico travels fast
That the wealthy man travels rapidly
Oh, the soul of El Salvador
The essence of El Salvador
Contributed by Aaron W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Oisin feehilly
on By Barna
Hellow Lady, Can I borrow your teddy
Samuel Joseph Donnelly
on Whacker Humphries
Ask "whacker" about the Provo they marched on and set up for votes in council elections- set up by a brasser from the Barn named Lilly Healy- 18 fucking years in blocks/cages/ torture centres and back stabbed by wannabes from Dublin! Between Active service ( killing etc whacker in case you didn't know!!
Chloe Mcl
on Hey Paddy
Is that the words Brendan O'Carroll sing